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Fishing Landing Net Advice

Fishing Landing Net Advice
Simon Kidd - Snowbee & England Fly Fishing International -LANDING NET ADVICE

"When looking to replace or improve your landing net there are plenty of options available, many designed with specific purposes in mind"

Simon Kidd (Snowbee & England Fly Fishing International) helps you buy wisely…

Having done the hard work of catching that most elusive fish, how many of us really think twice about the landing net we choose to land it with?

How many fish, especially those big ones, get away after being lost at the net? Often the choice of landing net, or simply the handle, can make so much difference and is all too often overlooked. When designing a new net, the handle is as important as the mesh, bag and frame, all of which have to be considered if it is to be ideal.

LANDING NET ADVICE

Snowbee Telescopic Folding Landing Nets

A most practical and neat design has, for a long time, been a folding, telescopic net, with a triangular shaped ‘V’ frame and flexible front edge. There are many popular designs of all shapes and sizes. At Snowbee there were six different size options of these in particular, suitable for many applications and hugely popular for over 20 years without a single design change up until now.

The handles on the longer versions of the folding / telescopic nets are a twist and lock style, which is versatile and functionally simple. When landing a fish, it is important to have a long enough handle to slide the net under the fish easily and at an angle that does not stress the rod tip, or provide so much flex that the pressure is released and the fish drops off just as it is about to be landed.

SNOWBEE 3-IN-1 NET

SNOWBEE 3-IN-1 LANDING NET

When I joined Snowbee I had been fortunate to travel widely on international competitions, where the net rules were very specific, but nobody made a net that was perfect for all the applications. A lot of the fishing involved rivers and when wading a short handle ‘pan’ net was often used and conveniently attached by a magnet to a ‘D ring’ on ones back or waist.

For a long time I had wanted to address this issue as the handles simply weren’t long enough. I wanted a slightly longer handle that was still light and eventually succeeded in making one, an adaptation from three I had, with a custom-made handle. This became my favourite and complied with all the rules.

Snowbee later took on the challenge to produce a similar net on a commercial scale. What developed was the ‘3-in-1’ and it has been a best-selling net ever since. Consisting of two handles (one for wading, one not), both are telescopic, providing the perfect solution. It has rubberised mesh too and still complies with rules for river, bank and boat fishing, with the combined handle options.

There is also a boat net now, with a bigger net head and a more substantial handle.

All the components of both are fully interchangeable between the two nets and all three handles. Of further benefit is that the net head shapes are both ideal for attaching via a magnet and whether right or left-handed, the net handle kicks perfectly to one side for instant accessibility when set up properly.

Fixed handle landing nets

EASY TO USE LANDING NETS

Fixed handle landing nets are still useful too and frame size and depth are important considerations in any design, along with mesh size. Too fine a mesh and the net will be heavy and drag in the water, too big and small fish can pass through and damage fins.

Some nets also have gadgets like weighing scale handles and tape measures in them, which can be useful, but simplicity and ease of use are the key. The latest addition to the popular Snowbee range is the Folding Game Net of which has a simple folding handle and fixed head with an optimum mesh for game fishing. Invert the head and the net folds. Also has a belt or ‘D’ ring clip.

rubber mesh landing nets

RUBBER MESH LANDING NETS 

A unique new range of  Fishing Rubber Mesh Landing Nets  feature the very latest USA-style, moulded synthetic rubber mesh for minimal scale damage when fishing ‘catch & release’

Another great feature of using a rubber mesh landing net is the rubber coating helps prevents hook barbs catching in the mesh, which can be so annoying when you net a fish. And lastly you'll be delighted to find rubberised nets are easily cleaned, free from odour, and tend to be more durable when passing through undergrowth.

how to use a landing net

HOW TO USE YOUR LANDING NET

Fishing 'catch & release' or 'catch to kill' it is vitally important to have the right landing net for the fishes welfare. You do not want a fish to die from distress because you have landed and handled inappropriately.

Master the following tips & techniques.

  • Net the fish near, or on the surface of the water.
  • Land your fish by netting head-first rather than tail-first.
  • When the fish gets first sight of the net, expect them to 'find new energy & continue the fight!'
  • Do not chase the fish with your net, instead, bring the fish to you.
  • When in the net, avoid lifting the fish, instead, slide them in for a landing.
  • Try unhooking when the fish is still in the water (But be safe, dont fall in!) - Make sure your hands are wet, especially for catch & release, if using barbless hooks, should be very quick.
  • Quick 'Click' with your camera and release ASAP - or if 'catch and kill' for your dinner, a quick dispatch using your priest.